THE SIX ITEMS EVERY FOOD JOURNAL SHOULD HAVE
1.Food and Beverage
To begin keeping your food journal, simply pick up a spiral notebook or a bound, lined journal. Obviously, the first thing you want to record in your food journal is the food you eat. You will also want to record beverages. This is just as important as recording food, since many Americans consume a large portion of their daily calories in the form of sodas, coffee drinks and juices. Try to include an exact portion size whenever you can. Keeping an accurate food journal means writing down everything that you consume, including samples and tastes while you are cooking, etc. Many of us eat without being truly conscious of it; keeping a food diary is the only way to get a true idea of your food intake.
2.Nutrient Data
Keeping portion sizes on record is important so you can accurately record the number calories you are taking in. If you do not know the portion of the food you ate, an "eyeball" estimate will work for now. Visit Calorie Count Plus to find out the nutrient data on almost any food. You can also purchase books (like Calorie King) that list nutrient data if you would rather do this offline. You may also wish to track your fiber intake and fat grams. Try to update this data in “real-time,” that is, as you are eating or drinking.
3.Meal Times
If possible, try to jot down the time you start eating and the time you finish eating. It will help you see if you are eating too fast (which many people do). You will also notice if you are eating too often and whether you tend to eat on a fairly consistent schedule rather than "grazing" all day long. Eating too often could be a sign that you are not eating balanced meals.
4.Location and Companions
Recording where you eat and with whom can help you identify factors that may be influencing how you eat. Do you often eat too much when watching TV? When is the last time you actually ate at the kitchen or dining table? Who was there when you ate too much? Do you find you eat more when you're socializing with friends? You may find you eat less if you take the time to set the table and eat while doing nothing else. If you over-eat in social situations, you may need to find non-food activities to do with friends.
5.Hunger Scale
You may find it helpful to rate your hunger level before each meal. You should use a simple scale such as 1 to 5, with 1 being not hungry and 5 being the most hungry. Just jot down the number before you record what you eat. When you review your journal later, you will be able to see whether or not you often eat when you're not very hungry (out of habit or emotion), or if you're getting overly-hungry too often. If you find that you have a 5 before most meals or snacks, that could mean you're allowing yourself to get too hungry, which often leads to over-eating.
6.Emotions
If you suspect that you tend to eat in response to emotions or stress, it is a good idea to make a note of your feelings in your food journal, too. It's important to write them down both before and after your meal. Doing so will help you to understand what emotions cause you to eat and what effect certain foods have on those emotions. You may wish to make a note of the specific situation that caused the emotional eating, such as "Argument today with boss" or "Missed deadline at school." When you understand what leads you to emotional eating, you can work towards planning alternative coping strategies for the next time the same situation arises.
1.Food and Beverage
To begin keeping your food journal, simply pick up a spiral notebook or a bound, lined journal. Obviously, the first thing you want to record in your food journal is the food you eat. You will also want to record beverages. This is just as important as recording food, since many Americans consume a large portion of their daily calories in the form of sodas, coffee drinks and juices. Try to include an exact portion size whenever you can. Keeping an accurate food journal means writing down everything that you consume, including samples and tastes while you are cooking, etc. Many of us eat without being truly conscious of it; keeping a food diary is the only way to get a true idea of your food intake.
2.Nutrient Data
Keeping portion sizes on record is important so you can accurately record the number calories you are taking in. If you do not know the portion of the food you ate, an "eyeball" estimate will work for now. Visit Calorie Count Plus to find out the nutrient data on almost any food. You can also purchase books (like Calorie King) that list nutrient data if you would rather do this offline. You may also wish to track your fiber intake and fat grams. Try to update this data in “real-time,” that is, as you are eating or drinking.
3.Meal Times
If possible, try to jot down the time you start eating and the time you finish eating. It will help you see if you are eating too fast (which many people do). You will also notice if you are eating too often and whether you tend to eat on a fairly consistent schedule rather than "grazing" all day long. Eating too often could be a sign that you are not eating balanced meals.
4.Location and Companions
Recording where you eat and with whom can help you identify factors that may be influencing how you eat. Do you often eat too much when watching TV? When is the last time you actually ate at the kitchen or dining table? Who was there when you ate too much? Do you find you eat more when you're socializing with friends? You may find you eat less if you take the time to set the table and eat while doing nothing else. If you over-eat in social situations, you may need to find non-food activities to do with friends.
5.Hunger Scale
You may find it helpful to rate your hunger level before each meal. You should use a simple scale such as 1 to 5, with 1 being not hungry and 5 being the most hungry. Just jot down the number before you record what you eat. When you review your journal later, you will be able to see whether or not you often eat when you're not very hungry (out of habit or emotion), or if you're getting overly-hungry too often. If you find that you have a 5 before most meals or snacks, that could mean you're allowing yourself to get too hungry, which often leads to over-eating.
6.Emotions
If you suspect that you tend to eat in response to emotions or stress, it is a good idea to make a note of your feelings in your food journal, too. It's important to write them down both before and after your meal. Doing so will help you to understand what emotions cause you to eat and what effect certain foods have on those emotions. You may wish to make a note of the specific situation that caused the emotional eating, such as "Argument today with boss" or "Missed deadline at school." When you understand what leads you to emotional eating, you can work towards planning alternative coping strategies for the next time the same situation arises.
The main purpose of internet to help people find what they’re interested.Good luck.
ReplyDeleteAdipex